When did the Vice Presidency become an important position?

[Bo]

.

[Хahar 🤔]

When Nixon made it one. Rockefeller, Mondale and Cheney are the only Vice Presidents with significant policy roles, however.

[Bo]

I thought Barkley (under Truman) was the first one to have signficiant influence. I believe he was the first one to be invited to all Cabinet meetings. Before Truman, though, the VP spot wasn't "worth a bucket of warm piss" though.

[President Mitt]

Hot (Normal)

[Bo]

Hot (Normal)

Wrong thread.

[Dancing with Myself]

The first Real Vp to be involved since John Adams was Wilson's VP, Thomas Marshall.

[Psychic Octopus]

The first Real Vp to be involved since John Adams was Wilson's VP, Thomas Marshall.

Interesting that you should say that. From what I've read on Wilson's administration, Marshall was kept in the dark a lot of the time (Marshall never knew the full extent of Wilson's trauma). An ideological rift developed within the two men, which let Wilson to give him a fractional note of influence. Wilson also didn't care for the man's humor.

However, he was the first VP to chair cabinet meetings, so that could be an increase of influence.

For me, I don't consider the Vice Presidency significant, really. You can say Cheney was very active, as were Mondale and Nixon to an extent, but Biden doesn't seem to have much of a role other then matters relative to Iraq.

[Хahar 🤔]

Barkley had no influence at all. He wasn't kept in the dark the way prior Vice Presidents were (because of Truman's experiences), but he was very much a Biden-type figure. He only got the nomination because no other Democrat would take it.

Marshall had even less of a role than Vice Presidents before him, as they were the administration's liaison with Congress, a role Wilson disposed with.

[Psychic Octopus]

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[k-onmmunist]

I thought Barkley (under Truman) was the first one to have signficiant influence. I believe he was the first one to be invited to all Cabinet meetings. Before Truman, though, the VP spot wasn't "worth a bucket of warm piss" though.

Hehe, Nance Garner.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

He only got the nomination because no other Democrat would take it.

Humphrey wanted it.

[Bo]

He only got the nomination because no other Democrat would take it.

Humphrey wanted it.

Back in 1948? He was too inexperienced and unknown.

[LBJ Revivalist]

When Nixon made it one. Rockefeller, Mondale and Cheney are the only Vice Presidents with significant policy roles, however.

Rockefeller really didn't have that big of a policy role; He was promised to and had titles but the de facto power in that regard was usurped by Rumsfeld, at least in the books I've read. Rummy and Rockefeller hated each other.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Back in 1948? He was too inexperienced and unknown.

He wanted to do what FDR did in 1920 - be VP to gain national exposure.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

When Nixon made it one. Rockefeller, Mondale and Cheney are the only Vice Presidents with significant policy roles, however.

Guess you forgot Gore.

Also, Nixon made V.P. highly viable position, but have a limited to no power in Ike administration. Yet true, he transformed the office.

[milhouse24]

I personally think that the primary goal of the VP is to help get elected.  That is he or she is media-PR figure who helps win voters. 

Of course they can take on whatever administrative or consulting role that the President gives him.  It can be a position with a lot of freedom, but none of the responsibilities.

[Dancing with Myself]

The first Real Vp to be involved since John Adams was Wilson's VP, Thomas Marshall.

Interesting that you should say that. From what I've read on Wilson's administration, Marshall was kept in the dark a lot of the time (Marshall never knew the full extent of Wilson's trauma). An ideological rift developed within the two men, which let Wilson to give him a fractional note of influence. Wilson also didn't care for the man's humor.

However, he was the first VP to chair cabinet meetings, so that could be an increase of influence.

For me, I don't consider the Vice Presidency significant, really. You can say Cheney was very active, as were Mondale and Nixon to an extent, but Biden doesn't seem to have much of a role other then matters relative to Iraq.

It's a shame too because Marshall would have been as good President.

[Хahar 🤔]

He only got the nomination because no other Democrat would take it.

Humphrey wanted it.

By no other, I meant nobody who wasn't a Mayor.

[Vepres]

I personally think that the primary goal of the VP is to help get elected.  That is he or she is media-PR figure who helps win voters. 

Of course they can take on whatever administrative or consulting role that the President gives him.  It can be a position with a lot of freedom, but none of the responsibilities.

They're just a senior adviser with a far higher profile, at least in the past few administrations.

[LastMcGovernite]

The general consensus is in the ballpark here.  Nixon made the job a symbolically important one...the foreign visits, etc. ratcheted up considerably.  Mondale was the first Veep to have a real say in shaping policy.  As bad as Carter's relationship with Congress was, it would have been much, much worse if he didn't have an experienced hand like Mondale running interference for him.  Gore further improved its influence, and was Clinton's point-man on foreign policy-- witness his advocating for involvement in Bosnia.  Cheney went further still.  While depictions of his machinations can be exaggerated, he attained a level of influence over policy that no vice president will likely attain again.

Biden, no less than Obama, is in the awkward position of having to reshape the office he is in, and shed its imperial trappings without forfeiting political efficacy- a tough task if ever there was one. 

[big bad fab]

Strictly speaking, never.

The Vice Presidency isn't an important position.

When he has to replace the President, the VP becomes important during one second, of course.
And some VP were important figures (Cheney was even a sort of co-president).
Biden shows us that it's highly different from one term to another...